Blue Lion Software NetDVD review

A virtual DVD drive for your netbook

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Our Verdict

A great option for those who need to install software from a DVD onto their netbook or simply watch a DVD

For

Works well

Good option for netbooks

Better than Windows equivalent

Blue Lion Software NetDVD is a solution aimed at all you out there with a netbook but are missing the love of an optical drive.

Netbooks are just about everywhere, even high-end laptop stalwart Sony has finally got in on the act with the VAIO W Series. Albeit a little too late to make any real impact.

But we loves them netbooks; sure they're not going to let us play Blood Bowl on the move, and they're not going to be rocking our world with eye-popping HD visuals, but they're great on the move.

One thing they generally lack though is an optical drive. Some of the more pricey options, such as the Eee S101, come with an external drive as part of the package. That's all gravy if you've decided to spend north of £400 on your netbook, but if you're sensible you've got one of the cheaper options with no optical drive in sight.

Now granted it's not a big failing in these days of vast USB keys to help us transport data, but there are times when you need to install some software from a DVD and sometimes need one in a drive to actually start a program. This is where Blue Lion Software NetDVD comes in.

It enables you to quickly and easily set up a virtual DVD drive running off a networked machine with a physical drive in it. You just need a tiny client on the netbook and an equally tiny server on the host unit.

As soon as you start up the software on both machines it gives you the option to connect. From there on in it acts exactly like a standard DVD drive on your netbook.

Connect over a wireless network in the home you can have access to the software and DVDs you need at the touch of a button. It's quick, simple to setup and more usable than the annoyingly fiddly Windows-based filesharing equivalent.